by Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY

by Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES - Comedian Arsenio Hall entered the interview with a power cord dangling from his iPhone, looking for juice. "Any time you have to walk into a man's home with a cord, something has gone terribly wrong," he said. We've all been there.

The veteran comedian's Talking Your Tech session is easily one of our 12 most memorable encounters of 2012.

Like all of us, celebrities celebrate and trip over technology in their daily lives. Unlike most of us, they are stars on Twitter and invest their own money in start-ups they believe show promise. And they have opinions about favorite apps and websites, social media, gadgets, 3-D printing, Google glasses, predictions about life in the future, online music and much more.

We began the year with teen sensation Selena Gomez at her home in Los Angeles, talking about the Postcard on the Run app that she invested in. The year ended with super model Tyra Banks at a New York photo studio, chatting about her Smize Yourself app, which teaches you how to smile for photos with your eyes. (Try it!)

Arsenio Hall: It was great to see the ever quotable comedian fresh off his win on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice. Hall instantly began with the iPhone, which he described as "better than orgasm." He continued with the intersection of comedians talking about tech in their acts ("you have to discuss the girl who who tweets on a ‚?¶date") and his own fanaticism about Twitter. "I tweet and then delete them. I have no intention of sending them. But I love to tweet so much."

Judge Judy: TV's top-rated daytime personality Judy Sheinlin has long disdained tech. "If someone told me two years ago that I would have as a constant companion a little iPad, I would tell them they were nuts," she said, Offstage, she has for years refused to use cell phones or respond to e-mails unless they were printed out for her. " Yet, she has a new website, "WhatwouldJudysay?" to pick up viewers opinions.

Ricky Gervais: The acerbic British comedian got involved with a new app, Just Sayin, a vehicle to leave audio tweets. We met Gervais at the tony Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, where he talked about his own unique tweeting style. "I like to annoy people; I like to agitate," says Gervais. And this: "One of my favorite pastimes is arguing with creationists who think the earth is 5,000 years old. You can't lose, and you can't win. That's a nice debate. It's an exhibitionist match."

Carson Daly: The host of NBC's The Voice and New Year's Eve with Carson Daly met us at a Los Angeles bar, which he was using to tape an episode of his Last Call late-night NBC talk show. We were stunned to see that he uses the exact same camera setup as we do - multiple consumer Canon 5D models. "For an independent-spirited network show, thank God for the technology," he said.

Larry King: The veteran talk show host, whose career was revived in 2012 by Hulu, showed even less love for tech than Judge Judy, despite a campaign by Hulu to show King as a big-time tweeter in the modern age. In an interview on set at the Larry King Now online talk show, he said he dictated tweets to an assistant and will only respond to e-mails if his wife reads them to him. "You don't want to just take the computer and read it yourself?" I asked King. No, he said.

Jeff Dunham: The nation's top grossing touring comedian had us over to his Los Angeles warehouse, where he collects old cars - and Mac computers. He has every Apple computer ever made. "I wanted to start my little (private) Mac museum because I would not be where I am without the technology."

Aisha Tyler: The comedian, co-host of CBS's The Talk and podcaster (Girl on Guy) showed us the gear she uses for her top-rated podcast. Just an iPad and two Shure microphones, one for her and the guest. She talked about the intimacy of podcasting. "It's so personal‚?¶ They listen in their car, in their headphones. There's an informality and intimacy people develop with you when they listen to your podcast."

James Taylor: We caught up with the music legend while on tour in Denver, in a hotel room, to talk about his online guitar lessons . He shoots those in his Massachusetts barn with a Canon 5D, Panasonic video camera and the tiny GoPro action cam, which he sticks inside of the guitar to capture his fingering. Taylor ("Fire and Rain," "Mexico") encouraged me to pick up my guitar and play along. While he couldn't have been nicer about my abilities "(Well, that's one way to play the song,") we sort of clicked on "Shower the People," all the more memorable when Taylor added some vocal touches to the ending.

Lewis Black: The comedian best known for his rants on The Daily Show about politics and life, was the dream guest. "So Lewis, how's tech treating you?" was the opening question, followed by a 40-minute performance. Ever go to the Apple Store for tech support? "The only reason you visit an Apple Store is because you wonder what life is like on another planet." Microsoft's help menu? "It's written in a language that doesn't appear to be English."

Savannah Guthrie: When in New York, you go to Rockefeller Center and try to wave at the cameras for The Today Show, right? TYT was at Today, talking to co-host Guthrie about how she uses tech to wake herself up in the morning, (the iPhone alarm) her favorite apps and about the time her iPhone went off live on air.

Tyra Banks: On the same day we spoke with Guthrie in New York, we preceded it with a rollicking interview in the Tribeca district with the supermodel, at a local photo studio. Two distinct unforgettable memories: her before and after close-up with photographer Todd Plitt showing how to smile with your eyes, then she followed up by trying to teach me. She announced, "Relax your lips."‚?¶"say "I am fierce‚?¶Hear me roar." An all-new experience for 2012. Hear me roar indeed!

Kermit, the frog. Whenever I'm asked to name my all-time favorite interview, this February meeting always tops my list. On the occasion of The Muppets DVD and Blu-ray release, Disney arranged a meeting with the amazing Steve Whitmire, who has provided the voice for Kermit since creator Jim Henson's death in 1990, at a Hollywood sound stage.

The occasion was to talk tech with Kermit. Whitmire told me that no questions were off limits - "Let's have some fun!" I sat on a tall director's chair, with Kermit (and Whitmire under him) facing me. The cameras began to roll and Kermit came to life. We talked about texting, the iPhone, life in the swamp and Kermit's ultimate dream gift - a new HD camcorder, as they "Call me Mr. 1080p!"

The 2012 roster will be hard to top, but hey folks, here's what we've got coming up in January: Billy Gardell and Reno Wilson from Mike and Molly, comedian Jay Mohr, banjo master Bela Fleck and Bill Nye, the Science Guy. So don't forget to check us out every week here at usatoday.com.